Named among Florida’s leading newcomers last year Carmel Cafe continues to rank among the best restaurants statewide

Tampa, FL (Dec. 3, 2012) – After being honored with its first Golden Spoon Award in 2011, Carmel Café & Wine Bar continues to rank among the state’s top dining spots by claiming another of the coveted Golden Spoons.

The annual awards are based on restaurant research and reviews conducted by Chris Sherman, restaurant editor for Florida Trend Magazine. Each December, Golden Spoon Awards are given to restaurants recognized as the best newcomers, the leading brands and the exemplary established restaurants located throughout the state.

Winners represent a wide variety of cuisine, from steak to sushi, and range from upscale and historic dining spots to independent, one-of-a-kind restaurants.

Carmel Café & Wine Bar joined the prestigious group of selected restaurants for the first time in 2011 when it was tapped as one of the “Best New Restaurants” to open in Florida.

“Florida has many outstanding restaurants and it is certainly an honor to be recognized for ranking among the best in the state,” said Terry Ryan, founding partner of Carmel Café & Wine Bar. “We appreciate the recognition and will continue to strive to provide our guests with the best food, service and dining experience possible.”

Carmel Café’s signature cuisine is described as Mod Med, a modern interpretation of foods and flavors traditionally associated with Mediterranean countries such as Italy, Spain, France, Greece and Morocco. The menu includes seasonal dishes that highlight produce and other ingredients when they are freshest and most flavorful.

In addition to enjoying the Mod Med cuisine served exclusively at Carmel Café & Wine Bar, diners may choose from a global selection of wines designed to easily mix and match with the menu. Wines can also be customized according to serving size, with many available in three-, six- and nine-ounce pours or by the bottle. The full service bar also offers specialty cocktails and mixed drinks.

Customized MenuPads placed at diners’ fingertips offer an inviting, interactive way to view images and descriptions of each dish, learn about wines from around the world, create pairings based on personal preferences or control the pacing of food and wine orders.

In addition to dinner nightly from 5 p.m., a prix fixe dinner menu is offered two nights a week and an After 5 @ Carmel menu is available weeknights. Five featured wines, five featured martinis and five featured Mod Med small plates are offered for just $5 each. In addition, two-for-one well drinks are also served from 5 – 7 p.m.

The prix fixe “Dinner for Two” available Sundays and Mondays lets two guests create a customized, four-course meal for a combined cost of $24.95.